Got my workout in on Saturday and felt really good afterwards. I hit B&N to get some map books and cycling books about the NYC and NY state areas. Yesterday the movers came and I'm happy that nothing was broken except for a speedometer on my single speed (easily replaced) and a single Coca Cola glass (I can get a new one if I really want one). I spent a good 8 hours unpacking, organizing and such. So that was yesterday's workout. I'll drop the bikes off tomorrow for a full overhaul as they've been sitting in storage for a while.

I have to do some work this week but I'm hoping to be on one of the bikes by this weekend.

I wanted to take my bikes in for a tune-up after their ordeal of being in storage and such for the last 6 months only to discover my single-speed's Rock Shox are broken! And I mean clean through! Granted they were over 10 years old and I was going to replace them because the parts are no longer available I thought I could go the summer without doing that. Now I'm forced to do it.

Why can't people be more respectful of other's stuff?? I am grateful that the other bike, my custom made Gunnar, wasn't damaged but still.

Well, the bikes are in the shop. The shop had a used fork that might be useable on my single speed for $45. Given the age and purpose of the bike (city riding during winter and summer months for training -- heavier is better for me -- and general usage). I also setup my small weights here and did about 30 minutes of upper body free weight exercises. Nothing fancy but something to keep things going. I'm hopeful that they might have the single speed ready by later today or tomorrow.

Welp, I got the bikes back this morning and then went out for my first ride in **9 MONTHS**. I did about 2 hours of mini-hills in Forest Park and biked along Queens Boulevard. I got no hassles from any cars so that was good and it'll only take about 10-15 min to bike each way to the gym so that's an added plus. Since the gym doesn't open until 8am, I'm going to bike around for an hour and a half or thereabouts before doing my weight training at the gym. Then I can do another hour or so afterwards. Obviously this will be on weeks that I'm not on the road (out of town) or teaching online. Although with the online course it'll be easier to go to the gym after I finish teaching for the day.

I had my maps and map book out last night so I could try and figure out where to go this morning. Only to realize that I have to be somewhere early this morning so no ride this morning. I'll try for later today. If not, definitely tomorrow morning since I'm not teaching this week.

Well, I got a nice 3 hours in today. For some reason the traffic is light on the streets today but that's good. I came back hungry (tummy grumbling) and realized I have no oatmeal. I'm gonna have to get some so I can make a quick filler with a snack of apples and/or bananas.

Well, I figured a faster (and probably safer) route to the gym today via bike. And got in a nice 40 minutes of weight training. I also did about an hour and a half of riding (all riding for now is on my single speed which is killer on hills!).

Tomorrow, I'm going to do a 25 mile loop that I found on MapMyRide Hopefully it'll warm up earlier than later.

That map route I found on MapMyRide was ok but it didn't include the warning that the Queens Botanical Gardens don't allow cyclists . I had to find a detour (took Main Street to Roosevelt and then went over the Roosevelt Bridge to 114th and then onwards to 65th down to Queens Blvd). It was a mere 21miles/34km. Less than what I usually use to train but since it was getting more and more busier and since I was starting to experience hypothermia, I figured it was time to get home.

I'm not a body builder per say but more of an endurance athlete. I'm in Jersey for the week starting tomorrow so I'll be limited to weight training for the week. That's ok. I may just use a stationary bike for a bit to keep the ol' heart rate up. It's going to be interesting. I may have to bring some food or venture out via cab for one night to a nearby mall and see what things I can bring back to the hotel. I hate when the hotel is in the middle of frick of nowhere.

I'm so happy I'm going home tomorrow. I'm making sure that when I go to Irvine, CA in a couple of weeks that they have free weights in their gym. This hotel's "world class gym" is just cardio machines (all treadmills and I'm not a runner). I have been walking to and from the education center I've been teaching at so that's been good. And I have been trying to use local stuff to do some basic stuff. Even a few pushups and situps here and there.

I am off for the next week and will be heading to the gym on Sunday after riding down to the beach and back again (probably around a 25-30 mile ride). At least I'll have some consistency and that's the most critical thing for me. I want to get back to my 2005 form (when I biked 5,500 miles/9,300 KM). I have a trip from NYC to Toronto to Montreal and back to NYC planned for the end of August. I still need to get a tent for that one and need to plan the route out some more but I do think it's doable. Maybe when I finish that trip I'll get enough courage to post my before and after (if I have a before and after).

And I'm hoping by then I'll be on my way to transitioning so that will help my definition. That path will be just as long as my endurance goals.

Well, yesterday I did 25 miles or so from my house to the bridge that leads to Rockaway Beach and back. The cold wind kinda prevented me from continuing since I had lost sensation in my toes (confirmed blue when I got back). Hopefully this weekend will be nicer and I can go for a longer ride. I noticed the trail seems to follow the Beltway so it makes for a nice long training path, which I want to use as the summer progresses.

Today and tomorrow I'm going to do a simple water/juice fast (with just the occasional fresh fruit or raw veggie) to clean my system out some. I had kinda started over the weekend with a restricted diet (no breads, no grains, no sugar) so it won't feel so bad. I won't have any heavy workouts and any that I do have will be done slowly and with extra breaks.

And I'm hoping that my kettlebells I ordered (along with a book on them) arrives soon so I can look into doing that. If the Kettlebells work out then I may, once the gym fees come up at the end of the year cancel that.

Well, I had to cancel my kettlebell order and get them from another place. I should see them by tomorrow or Thursday.

And my 2nd day of my fast seems to be going well. I've actually been fine and haven't had any light-headedness or anything. I'm kinda not surprised since when I'm on tour there are days where I'll bike non-stop and pretty much just collapse at the end of the day without any food intake and just water and sports drinks. Anyways, today I'll do some weight training at home since I don't feel like being at the gym.

I have to get better at this stuff. I got the kettlebells while I was in Irvine last week. And I love them. I may have to fork over for the gym membership until it runs out and when it does I think I'll stop it at the end of the year. What a waste! I should have invested in these a while ago. I don't need a huge workout area and they truly do take little room. And I can use them whenever I want.

Traveling has not been helpful in my attempts to get myself in better shape and I hate that I'm letting it do that. I need to spend more time on the bicycle road and less time arguing with the computer. I think some of it is still a fear of NYC roads and the images I've heard about, although in the couple of rides I've done it's been nothing like that. I just need to get out more. I have a busy day today but tomorrow I only have a massage. If I get my butt out of bed early, I use that gym membership and then go for the massage but do some cycling before and perhaps after (if the weather isn't too bad). I really need to get back into some kind of rhythm with my impending tour looming.

Well, things have been challenging for me of late. I have been fairly regular with my kettlebells and increasing the time with them. Additionally, I've started the actual process to transition. For those that don't know what that means, I was born a female. I have started the medical process to change my physical presentation to male/male-gendered. While I'll always view myself as a transguy/transboi, I know society will view me as a man based entirely on my outwardly appearance. Regardless, this transition isn't for society but is for me and what I feel comfortable with. Right now, while I'm comfortable with a lot of things in life, parts of my body I'm not comfortable with (regardless of how much weight I lose). With luck, I should be on medically prescribed T by the end of the summer/start of the fall. (btw, if you have questions about this don't be afraid to ask -- I'm very open about it).

K, my primary g/f, has started running to help her deal with her depression (due to her sister's death). I'll be joining her on her morning runs when she gets back from L.A. That tied with the T should help me lose the 30-40 I want to lose. Anyways, thought I'd update this since it's well overdue. I'm not perfect and my path isn't always the straightest but I do find my way at some point, like the slow and steady turtle.